Drug (and supplement) Toxicity and Weight

[melamine]

What does a standardized dose mean when even aside from age, as little as 15 lbs can make a difference in toxicity? And how does one determine how add-ons - drugs, supplements - are affecting one another?

http://www.aarp.org/health/drugs-su...toxic-drugs-when-medicine-makes-you-sick.html

As if this isn't tricky enough, when it comes to supplements, many herbal in particular are not standardized in the level of active ingredient - when they contain any at all.

* (I posted this on Blog by mistake earlier today and a couple responses disappeared from it, including one of my own.)

 

[Little Bluestem]

I have read that the effective dose of a medication can vary tenfold between different people. I assume the toxic dose can vary equally.

 

[adreno]

As if this isn't tricky enough, when it comes to supplements, many herbal in particular are not standardized in the level of active ingredient - when they contain any at all.

Many herbs (and even foods) also affect liver enzymes, speeding up or slowing down metabolism of drugs.

Drugs.com has an interactions checker, that will reveal many (but not all) potential issues, including effects on metabolism. As there are still many unknown mechanisms (especially concerning herbs), it's important to be careful when combining them.

http://www.drugs.com/drug_interactions.html